42 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



Umbilical hernia. — The umbilicus, or navel, is the aperture 

 through which the blood vessels pass from the mother to the fetus, 

 and naturally the sides of this aperture ought to adhere or unite after 

 birth. In very young animals, and sometimes in new-born calves, 

 this aperture in the abdominal muscles remains open and a part of 

 the bowel or a portion of the mesenteiy may slip through the open- 

 ing, constituting what is called umbilical hernia. The wall of the sac 

 is formed by the skin, which is covered on the inner surface by a 

 layer of cellular tissue^ and within this there is sometimes, but not 

 always, a layer of peritoneum. The contents of the hernia may be 

 formed by a part of the bowel, by a portion of the peritoneum, or may 

 contain portions of both peritoneum and bowel. When the sac con- 

 tains only the peritoneum it has a doughy feel, but when it is formed 

 by a portion of the bowel it will be more elastic on applying pressure. 



Cames. — In the new-born animal the opening of the navel is gen- 

 erally large, and this opening may sometimes give way to the pressure 

 of the bowel on account of the weak and relaxed condition of the 

 abdominal muscles. This defective and abnomial condition of the 

 umbilicus is frequently hereditary. It may be occasioned by roughly 

 pulling away the umbilical cord ; through kicks or blows on the belly ; 

 through any severe straining by which the sides of the navel are 

 stretched apart. We may mention in this connection that it is best 

 in new-born calves to tie the umbilical cord tightly about 2 inches 

 from the navel, and then to leave it alone, when it will drop off in a 

 few days in most cases, leaving the navel in a closed condition. 



Treatment. — It is well to bear in mind that many, and especially 

 the smaller, umbilical hernias will heal spontaneously ; that is, nature 

 effects a cure. As the animal gets older the abdominal muscles get 

 stronger and possess more power of resistance to pressure, the bowels 

 become larger and do not pass so readily through a small opening, so 

 that from a combination of causes there is a gradual growing to- 

 gether or adhesion of the sides of the navel. In cases of umbilical 

 hernia where there are no indications that a spontaneous cure will 

 take place, the calf should be laid on its back, and immediately on 

 this being done the hernia will often disappear into the abdomen. 

 If it does not its reduction may be brought about by gentle handling, 

 endeavoring, if need be, to empty the organs forming the hernia 

 before returning them into the abdomen. After the hernia has been 

 returned the hair should be clipped from the skin covering it and a 

 compress composed of 10 or 12 folds of linen or cotton should be 

 applied, first smearing the skin with pitch and then a bandage about 

 3 inches wide should be passed round the body so as to retain the 

 compress in position. The lower part of the compress should be 

 smeared with pitch, and also those portions of the bandage which 



